Effects of a single subject session of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on golf performance anxiety

The purpose of this study was to investigate a single session of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment protocol on golf performance anxiety with amateur golfers. This study examined the effects of EMDR on amateur golfers experiencing golf performance anxiety by evaluated the level of golf performance anxiety before and after a session of EMDR treatment protocol. Also looked at were the participants’ experience with golf performance anxiety before and after EMDR. The mixed design was to utilize both quantitative data and qualitative techniques to assess the subjective experience of amateur golfers experiencing golf performance anxiety. The participants were treated with a single session of EMDR for golf performance anxiety. The quantitative data included the pre- and post STAI scores, scores from the EMDR protocol scales the SUDS, and VOC. While this study was mainly a quantitative one, there were 3 qualitative interview questions that were analyzed to enhance the quantitative data. For the most part descriptive data was reported in graph and table format along with a narrative form to communicate the findings of the interview questions. The eight participants were assessed for golf performance anxiety through the administration of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) (Appendix B). Then, the participants participated in a single session of the EMDR treatment protocol (Appendix C). After the participants completed their first post EMDR golf game, they were again administered the STAI, and were asked 3 interview questions to assess their experience with golf performance anxiety after the EMDR. The findings for all three research questions support a positive response for all participants. The participants’ reports suggested that EMDR did improve their golf performance anxiety and were very excited in the success of their performance enhancement. All the participants who experienced golf performance anxiety and completed the EMDR treatment protocol were very happy with the results and experienced less golf performance anxiety while playing their next golf game.

Dissertation/Thesis

English

D. P. Fish

Fish, D. P. (2033). Effects of a single subject session of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on golf performance anxiety. (Doctoral dissertation, Argosy University)